OUSA advocates on behalf of its 140,000 members at its eight member schools across the province. To do this effectively, each year a variety of submissions to the government are created that summarize the positions of students.
Over the past year, Ontario embarked upon a journey to review its higher education system, led by former Premier Bob Rae. Its main goal was to develop a long-term plan that would provide recommendations on system design, funding, access, accountability and quality for implementation by the current provincial government. That journey is now complete.
The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) recommends investments in the four following areas for the upcoming provincial budget: ensuring access and affordability, providing institutions with the resources they need, providing high quality opportunities, charting a clear and accountable direction.
This year, one of the boldest investments in post-secondary education in a generation is coming to an end. Over the past five years, the Ontario government’s Reaching Higher Plan has invested $6.2 billion into the sector, yet much is left to do. As the government designs a new plan, it is crucial that steps are taken to improve the quality and accessibility of higher education. For students this means serious commitments to student financial assistance, student success initiatives, and the overall financial health of our institutions.